Carrier and carrier package



g- 1961 D. L. BIESECKER ET AL 2,994,426

CARRIER AND CARRIER PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1959 1961 D.L. BIESECKER E'l'AL 2,994,426

CARRIER AND CARRIER PACKAGE Filed Jan. 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JQWIWENTORS fiozmzif. Ezeseafer finale/ (I fiarrz mm United States Thisinvention is concerned with a carrier for carrying containers such ascans, and with a resulting carrier package.

As is well known, it is common practice to merchandise cans in groups.For example, six cans of beer or other beverage are commonly packedtogether for sale. Pasteboard containers have been widely used in thepast, but are subject to certain deficiencies. They are expensive anddifficult to assemble with the containers. In addition, they tend eitherto be too weak, so as not to be able to resist dropping or mishandling,or they tend to be so strong that it is extremely difiicult to separatethe containers therefrom. Various metal clips have been contrived forsecuring groups of cans together, but for various reasons have not beenextensively used in commerce.

In the application of O. J. Poupitch for Container Carrier and Package,Ser. No. 775,333, filed December 1, 1958, now US. Patent 2,874,835,owned by the assignee of this application, there is disclosed andclaimed a novel carrier formed of plastic sheet material and havingapertures therein through which the containers are inserted. Thisinvention relates to a carrier made of plastic sheet material, butdiffering in various significant details from that of Poupitch.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedintegral plastic carrier for cans and other containers.

It is another object of this invention to provide a carrier forcontainers such as cans wherein the carrier comprises a verticallypositioned sheet of plastic material having integral bands extending inopposite directions therefrom for retaining containers, such as cans.

A further object of this invention is to provide a carrier as outlinedin the preceding objects wherein the carrier is of substantiallyscrapless construction.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspectiveview of a container carrier in accordance withthe principles of this invention, as initially formed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carrier as stretched for use;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the carrier associated with aplurality of containers, specifically cans;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the containers and carrier;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention,corresponding to FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 2 and is a perspective view of the device ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the device of FIGS. 5 and 6 as assembledwith containers, specifically cans;

FIG. 8is an end view of the carrier package of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention,somewhat similar to FIG. 5;

atent FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the carrier of FIG. 9 asassembled with a plurality of containers.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and first to FIGS. 14,there will be seen a sheet or web of plastic material forming thecarrier 20. Although other plastics may be used, polyethylene is apreferred example. The web is arranged in a vertical plane, and thecentral portion thereof is upstanding as at 22, being provided with anelongated slot 24, whereby the upstanding portion serves as a handle.The web also is provided with oppositely extending end portions 26 and28, and with a central portion 30, all integral and coplanar. The upperouter corners of the end portions 26 and 28 are rounded ofii as at 32.The inner corners thereof also are rounded oil as at 34, thereby joiningthe upstanding handle portion 22 at an indentation 36.

The end portions 26 and 28 and the central portion 30 are respectivelyprovided with pairs of aligned slots 38 arranged longitudinally of thecarrier. The slots in each pair are aligned vertically, and thecorresponding slots of the pairs are colinear. Each of the slots isterminated in a small circular hole 40 to prevent tearing of the plasticmaterial. In addition, the central portion 30 is provided with a slot 42which is straight throughout the major portion of its extent, beingcolinear with the upper edges of the portions 26 and 28, and whichcurves down at its opposite ends at 44 to terminate in small circularholes 46 on a line with the indentations 36.

The slits 38 define between them straps 48 of plastic material. Abovethe uppermost slot 38 on the end portions 26 and 28, and between theuppermost slot 38 and the slit or slot 42, there is another plurality ofstraps 50. These straps are designed to be folded down along the dottedlines 52. As shown in FIG. 2, the straps 50 are stretched rearwardly(after such folding down) and the straps 48 are stretched forwardly.Thus, the cans 54 Or other suitable containers can be inserted withinthe stretched bands or loops 48 and 50. The resulting package 57 readilyis carried by inserting the fingers through the slot 24 of the handle22.

The dimensions of the parts are such that the bands 48 and 50 arestretched rather substantially, and hence, aggressively grip the cansagainst inadvertent withdrawal from the carrier. Furthermore, the bandslock beneath the beads 56 at the tops of the cans. However, since thecan beads are not engaged along the center of the package by the straps48 and 50, the cans can be Withdrawn manually by tipping them up and outaway from the body of the carrier.

In accordance with the figures just described, the upper bands 50 arefolded down before being stretched out into use. This is advantageous inthat it keeps the bands 50 on the same level with the bands 48. However,it will be understood that the bands simply could be stretched outwithout being folded down, and in such in-- stance the indentations 36would not be essential A modification of the invention is shown in FIGS.

5-8. In this embodiment of the invention, similar parts are identifiedby numerals similar to those heretofore used, with the addition of thesuffix a. The handle 22a is curved in configuration, and the slot oraperture 24a is similarly shaped. The carrier 20a again is used in avertical position, and is provided with two sets of slots. 38a. Theslots or slits 38a are in sets of three in the:

present instance, and there are only two such sets. The slits 38a eachcomprise vertical legs 58 interconnected by a bight 60, thereby being ofmore or less U-shape. The slits 38a define U-shaped bands or straps 48aand 5011 which respectively are folded forwardly and rearwardly from theplane of the carrier 20a, as shown in FIG. 6, whereby to receive fourcontainers, illustrated as cans 54a, in FIGS. '7 and 8. The straps orbands 50a lock directly beneath the beads 56a of the cans 54a. When theupper ends of the cans are kept on the same level, as in FIGS. 7 and 8,the straps or hands 48a grip the cans somewhat below the beads, due tothe attachment of the straps or hands 48a to the carrier at a somewhatlower position than the straps or hands 50a are attached. However, theyelastically and resiliently grip the cans, whereby to hold them againstaccidental withdrawal. As will be understood, the cans on the front ofthe carrier could be slid down slightly, if so desired, to cause thestraps or bands 48a to lock under the beads 56a, and this wouldinherently happen should the bands 48:: stretch sufficiently to loosenslightly. The handle 22a serves as a convenient means for carrying theresulting container package 57a.

As will be observed in FIG. 6, the U-shaped slits 38a leave tongues 62of plastic sheet material which lie between adjacent cans 54a. In someinstances it may be found desirable to maintain the cans out of contactwith one another, or even to provide a cushion between the cans, and itwill be apparent that the tongues 62 serve both of these purposes.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 there is shown an embodiment of the invention designedfor carrying two cans. This embodiment is otherwise quite similar tothat of FIGS. -8, but makes a somewhat more efiicient use of material.The carrier again includes a sheet of plastic material in a verticalplane, having a handle at the top thereof. Similar numerals again areused for identifying similar parts, this time with the addition of thesuffix b, the carrier thereby being identified as 20b and the handle as226. The bottom of the carrier is of curved or arcuate configuration,and the slits 38b are more or less arcuate or C-shaped, beingsubstantially concentric with the bottom edge and joining side edges ofthe carrier, and again terminating in small holes 40b. The lowermost ofthe slits 38b forms with the lower edge a band or strap 48b, while aband or strap 50b is defined between the two slits 38b.

In order to use the container carrier 20b, the strap or band 48b isflexed up to the front, and the band or strap 50b is flexed up to theback, whereby the two bands respectively engage a pair of containers orcans 54b to form the carrier package 57b. In this instance, theattachments of the bands to the remainder of the carrier are onsubstantially the same horizontal level, rather than being oifsetdiagonally as in FIGS. 5-8. Accordingly, the two bands or straps aresubstantially at the same height, and both simultaneously lock beneaththe beads 56b of the cans 54b to retain the cans at the same height.

As will now be apparent, each of the embodiments of the invention asherein shown and described is substantially scrapless in construction,requiring only the formation of slits in the plastic sheet or web. Eachembodiment provides straps or bands which are stretched or deflected inopposite directions from the plane of the web, whereby aggressively togrip the cans or other containers to be carried thereby.

The specific examples of the invention as herein shown and described arefor illustrative purposes only. Various changes in structure will nodoubt occur to those skilled in the art, and are to be understood asforming a part of thisinvention, insofar as they fall within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

i 1. A carrier for carrying a plurality of containers or the like independing side-by-side and substantially abutting and parallel relation;and comprising a substantially 4 unsupported sheet of plastic materialdisposed in a vertical plane to provide a carrier body having handlemeans along one margin thereof, said sheet of plastic material beingresilient, deformable, and elastic, and having a plurality of slitsarranged in groups at spaced intervals below the margin on which saidhandle means is located, said slits in each group being substantiallythe same length to provide a plurality of pairs of bands each ofsubstantially the same width and length, the bands of each pairrespectively being vertically aligned and immediately adjacent oneanother and deformable in opposite directions from the plane of saidsheet whereby the pairs of bands provide oppositely disposed loop-likeportions engageable upon stretching by a container or the like with theside walls thereof to retain adjacent containers in substantiallyabutting and parallel relation, one slit in each group forming themargin of a section of the blank remaining in the vertical plane thereofwhen the bands are deformed in opposite directions to provide thelooplike portions.

2. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slits in each groupcomprise upper and lower substantially co-extensive parallel slits.

3. A carrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of the slits in eachgroup provides a substantially contiguous margin of each pair ofoppositely deformed bands.

4. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper marginal portionabove the upper slit in each group is turned downwardly to substantiallyvertical position whereby the upper slit in each group provides theupper margin of each oppositely disposed band.

5. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided anadditional topmost slit above the intermediate group of slits andimmediately below the handle means for providing one of the oppositelydeformed bands in this group.

6. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle means comprises acentral portion of the sheet projecting upwardly from the top marginthereof with the top edge of the sheet having substantially verticalslits separating the said central portion from the adjacent top marginalportions of 'the sheet facilitating turning of such top marginal portionupon itself to form one of the oppositely deformed bands.

7. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slits in each group aresubstantially U-shaped to define the bands opening upwardly toward theupper margin of the sheet.

8. A carrier package comprising at least a pair of containers disposedin side-by-side relationship and a carrier formed from a sheet ofplastic material which is resilient, deformable, and elastic; saidcarrier including a carrier body disposed in a vertical plane betweensaid containers and having handle means along the upper margin thereof,at least a pair of substantially immediately adjacent narrow bandsintegral with and formed out of the carrier body and extending fromadjacent the top of the carrier body in opposite directions from thevertical plane thereof, the carrier body including a separator portionremaining in the vertical plane thereof and below the handle means, eachband defining an aperture having a normal peripheral measurement lessthan that of an associated container and stretched over an associatedcontainer to engage the same adjacent the top thereof with eachcontainer elastically held by a corresponding band near the top thereofin depending side-by-side and substantially parallel relationship withthe separator portion disposed between adjacent containers.

9. A carrier package as claimed in claim 8, wherein the separatorportion is disposed between the upper edges of the containers.

10. A carrier package comprising a plurality of pairs of containers withthe containers of each pair disposed in side-by-side relation and acarrier formed from a sheet of plastic material which is resilient,deformable and elastic; said carrier including a carrier body disposedin a vertical plane between the containers of each pair and havinghandle means along the upper margin thereof, a plurality of pairs ofsubstantially immediately adjacent narrow bands integral with and formedout of the carrier body and extending from adjacent the top of thecarrier body in opposite directions from the vertical plane thereof, thecarrier body including separator portions remaining in the verticalplane thereof and below the upper margin thereof, each band defining anaperture having a normal peripheral measurement less than that of anassociated container and stretched over an associated container toengage the same adjacent the top thereof with each container held by acorresponding band near the top thereof in depending side-by-side andsubstantially parallel relationship with a separator portion disposedbetween the containers of each pair.

11. A carrier package as claimed in claim 10, wherein the margins of thebands of each pair are substantially contiguous.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,103,810 Mix July 14, 1914 1,108,432 Foster Aug.25, 1914 1,427,440 Brown Aug. 29, 1922 2,391,081 Van Hofe Dec. 18, 19452,637,515 Walsh May 5, 1953 2,680,039 Burge June 1, 1954 2,874,835Poupitch Feb. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,127 Great Britain 1906

